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While debating how much I want to dive into the new Bruce Peninsula – I mean, it’s over a month before the “physical” release date – I noticed that the Halifax/Toronto band The Darcys is opening up for the collective in Toronto on January 31st.

Now, I’m not one to get filled up with pride about my alma mater, but the Darcy’s were formed during their days at University of King’s in Halifax, a school that counts this blogger as one of their most valued former students. I know it's nothing shocking for a bunch of college kids to start a band, but when I went to the school there the only music I remember seeing was a two man concert in the Ward room featuring Kunga and Josh Martinez and they did a freestyle using the beat and chorus from a Notorious B.I.G. jam, so it’s nice to see some music coming out of the school.

Anyway... The Darcys. Their debut EP – Endless Water – has been out for a while now (since 2007) and while it is a great listen, I’m more excited to see what they deliver on their upcoming release. The band really has a swagger about them and after a few songs you start to hear all the influences the band samples, none of which seem above their skill level. Throw in the fact they’ve been working hard playing live shows, and I would expect the energy and results to be even better this time around.

For a young band, dipping into the sounds of Pavement and Radioheadis very common, but very few new bands are able to control the influences that inspire them without blatantly ripping them off. The Darcys never fall victim to trying to write a song that fits sounds like “X”. Instead they write riffs and play with sounds that you wouldn’t expect to fit together. They can fill the dance floor ( the disco, jammy I’m a Ship), hit you with an old fashioned power ballad or create a sleepy haze ( Where Are Your Daughters? (No More Love Songs)), but are at their best when they jump around all of the styles.

Honestly, on the surface it’s hard to tell you why these guys stand out from the hundreds of other bands you might want to try to describe the same way. The combination of East Coast and across the pond sounds just works well in a way that you wouldn’t expect. The crunch of the guitars and Anglo-influenced vocals on Ultra sound good, but it’s the bubbling undercurrent they add that really grabs your ear, and the classic rock keyboards that come out of nowhere that blows you away.

They even manage to take some risks that pay off. The French vocals on the title track could come off as pretentious, but the beautiful harmonies and a measured pace pull you close, and just when the track might start to lose the listener might, they explode into a quick sprint to refresh the track. You don't really have a chance to think, you just sit back and enjoy the track.

Definitely one to look out for in '09.

Labels: Canada, Music

Well now, the holidays are over, I took myself a little blogging break, but now 2009 is upon us and it demands a return to action from your old pal Shane. So then, what better way to kick off a new year than with a crispy edition of OSM? Of course, but how should one greet '09 in a suitably old school fashion? Well I figured there was no better way than to subtract 20 and take it back to what is truly one of the best years in hip hop history: 1989.

How to select songs from '89 you ask? Well it's quite simple, like anyone would do in this situation, I consulted the Ego Trip Book of Rap Lists for the top singles from '89 - as an aside, that is quite likely one of the best hip hop books ever compiled, if you haven't read it, add doing so to your resolutions. Anyway, the top three songs on the list are Fight The Power, So Wat Cha Sayin', and Children's Story. Seriously, now there is a top three. If you told me I could only listen to those three songs until I kicked the bucket (can I kick the bucket? Yes you can!), I would be a happy man. My love for PE has been well documented (by me!), so it figures that Fight the Power has been posted before, and it seems I randomly posted Children's Story before, but I've never posted So Wat Cha Sayin', which is hard to believe considering how much I love it. But oh well, it's a new year, and I've already righted a wrong. '09 is off to a successful start.

Speaking of righting wrongs, #10 on the Ego Trip list is a song that I've wanted to post for a while: Three Times Dope's Funky Dividends. Simply a fantastic jam from this Philly threesome, and if you know it, no doubt just the mention of it makes you smile. If you don't, have a listen below and just enjoy the '89 goodness. Just the thought of my cassette copy of Original Stylin' makes me happy.

That gives us a solid four-pack (aka the Tupac x 2), so what shall we add to make it an even five? How about #28 on the Ego Trip list, Chill Rob G's Court Is Now In Session. I was never a huge Chill Rob G fan, but he has a great voice, and I was defintely down with his huge glasses stlye. Mainly though, I've always felt bad about Chill Rob getting ripped off by those thieving Germans from Snap!, so I'll use this as a reason to give him some shine. It is a solid jam in it's own right though, and if you pay attention you can pick up various sampled vocal bits from other songs ("watch the birdie", "get your ass in the car, you're coming with us").

So happy new year from the hill, come back every Monday in '09 for that old school goodness.

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Right now, almost everyone in the blog world is freaking out over the new Animal Collective record leaking and Bruce Peninsula's deciding to offer up the download of their debut months earlier than expected. Normally, I'd be marching right in stride (well, for the Bruce Peninsula LP at least), but a couple of things are stopping me.

I'm anxious to start absorbing new BP material, but really want to experience the record in it's proper form - as a tangible piece of art, complete with artwork and liner notes - but more importantly, right now there is another release dominating my listening schedule and trying hard to be earn a spot as the first "must-have" record of 2009.

If you are familiar with Timber Timbre, you already know the impact Taylor Kirk’s songs deliver. Even on a passing listen to Medicinals, the way Kirk was able to transform his acoustic bedroom recordings into ghostly tales that resonated the spirit and imagery of the Deep South blues was remarkable. His spare arrangements left notes and words lingering in the shadows, openly exposed to the listener, but he was able to add bursts of horns and execute tempo changes that hid the fragility of the songs at just the right moments. Basically he was the type of artist that could be playing alone in a bar and stop you dead in your tracks.

So, to be honest, the change in sound he delivers on the new self-titled release was quite unexpected. Kirk still has the charisma to tell a compelling stories using little more than the muted, steady strums of his guitar, but the textures he adds accentuate the ominous tones of the record and really complete his songs. Organ, piano, percussion and beautiful string arrangements all add a density to Kirk’s compositions and fill some of the space once reserved for echoes and creaks. You can’t help but be surprised by the surging energy from the piano and choral vocals that complete the album opener, Demon Host. Instead of straining to hear the squeaks of fingers along the fret board that supports his freak folk vocals, you are excited, unsure of what might come next.

And what comes next is a a perfect display of kirk's new sound. Starting with a simple, banged out synth/piano line and subtle tambourine shake, Lay Down In The Tall Grass quickly becomes so much more than the sum of their parts. The minimal composition seems dark and desolate and provides a perfect canvas for Kirk to tell the tale of an insecure lover. As he confesses, “dreamin’ every night of you, shakin’ at the sight of you” he contrasts the coldness of the melody and adds guitar work and accompanying textures (layers that are used repeatedly over the course of the next seven songs) that pile emotion onto the track and shock the listener.

His warbled voice is backed by chimes and organ on the eerie Until The Night Is Over, but he executes the bolder arrangement nicely. Kirk knows when to strip away the sounds for impact and when to bolster the energy with crescendos and soft double tracked vocals. Even as he revisits the ideals of the blues by alternating guitar lines and vocals on Magic Arrow, it’s the kick drum that pounds over the rapid fire beat of and into your chest that paves the way for the guitar notes and synth static float around the vastness behind and resonate in your soul.

The larger arrangements Kirk favors alsogive the record more soul. The deep drum sounds and piano that work with the echoing synth give a more human feel to I Get Low, and as he admits that he “gets low, low, low on my own” you feel a sadness he kept inside on previous releases. The strings that lengthen each statement on Trouble Comes Knocking haunt the song, but the gentle piano that surfaces before the chorus softens the tension and as the synths and strings dance around for the last two minutes of the track, you find yourself being swept away in an inspired melody, forgetting the tension he built so well in the first half of the song.

People say the devil is in the details, and obviously Kirk has thought out each and every track. He controls to mood, pace and arrangements – case in point: the surprising choir and string arrangement that transforms the quick hitting two-minute Well Find Out - with a deft touch and displays his growth as an artist. This isn’t the Timber Timbre I first discovered a few years ago, but it’s one that I am happy to continue to grow with. It's also a record that is going to turn heads and will most likely be one making a lot of lists this time next year.

Labels: Best-of '09, Canada, Music

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The funny thing is, I was actually on the Alive Natural Sound web site looking for more info on the upcoming Trainwreck release this Spring (side note – hell yeah!) and seeing the album covers lined up in plain view triggered my memory. I’ve been meaning to talk about Hacienda for a while now and just kept putting it off.

I know most people are happy to give this San Antonio family band (three brothers and a cousin) a listen because the man twisting the knobs on Loud is the Night is Dan Auerbach, but the sun kissed pop songs deserve attention on their own merit. The Villanueva brothers provide a perfect backdrop for vocalist Dante Schwebel and the notes and harmonies shimmer. At times you could swear you found this gem in a stack of vinyl at a yard sale, as the band’s melodies are near perfect retro pop.

It’s easy to hear the sounds these Mexican-Americans create and talk about the Beach Boys – they harmonize so nicely and even the grainy cover art and font take you back to a time when short shorts, surfboards and sun kissed skin was the dream – or talk about how well they fit in with the bands they tour with (Dr. Dog and naturally Frank McElroy and Scott McMicken also guest on the album), but Hacienda makes sure that their sound isn’t completely indebted to that over replicated era.

They give a nice 70’s Tex-Mex style rework to the Sonny and Cher classic Baby Don’t Go, but also pull off some doo-wap and change tempos to keep the songs moving. There are moments that could obviously soundtrack your summer, but tracks like Another Day would fit in perfectly with a backyard chimney and a nice blanket on a crisp autumn night. The opening track, She’s Got A Hold On Me, could easily be placed on my favorite songs of ’08 list and honestly, for a debut this record (especially one that is destined to be compared to fantastic songs and bands) is remarkable.

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Paper Moon isn’t exactly what you’d call prolific. The Winnipeg popsters seem to need a few years to deliver full lengths releases (what with having babies and what not) – it’s been over two years since the last full length – but I’ll give it to them. They certainly know how to keep fans happy with EPs and singles. In fact, that’s how I first heard about Paper Moon. Your Attitude Towards Cuttlefish was probably my favorite song on For the Kids Too! and they've put out a steady stream of EPs for the last 7 years.

The band will be releasing a new record in April, but have a 5-song collection of remixes, covers and a sneak peak of the new record available on Tuesday. The EP – What Are You Going To Do With Me has the lead single from the new record, a remix of These New Friends of Your and a sincere, sweeter take Lindy’s Witness.

As you’d expect, the tracks are poppy nuggets with synths, blips and Nikki and Allison’s beautiful vocals. The band is able to give you a heavy dose of sweetness, but keep enough grit in the mix to help the song the songs stay highly repeatable. The simple guitar and electro backbeat of We Can Take the Long Way is weightless, floating around your headphones and the two-minute ditty sets the tone for the late night, "come down" style remix of These New Friends of Yours.

The fusing of machine and organic works nicely, but for me though, the highlight is the reworking of Hot Little Rocket’s Down With Safe. Gone is the heavy bass line, nasally vocals and guitar and in their place is a stripped down track built on a piano melody and faint beat. The harmonies really change the mood of the song, giving the rock song a gentle touch that gives way to the subtle wave of drums and strings. Honestly, I can’t think of another word to describe the song other than lovely.

This is EP does exactly what it’s supposed to do – it reminds you why you like Paper Moon and gets you excited for the new record.

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Honestly, when I got a CD from The British Columbians, I was quite ready to put the record in the ole trash, and never think about the BC based band again. I mean, seriously, The British Columbians? That’s the only name worse than The West Boys (Mike Robert’s old Halifax "West" garage band) when it comes to not even trying. Anyway, here’s the skinny about this quartet. It’s about to be 2009, and when the ball drops, The British Columbians might just hope the year turns back to 1972.

Their self-titled debut is a nice mix of blues and folk – which the skeptic might say is a tired combination, especially when you consider how many bands are trying to ride the coattails of The Whites Stripes and The Black Keys – and I’ll give it to the band, they really try some interesting things (like the slinky, soulful riff they deliver on Ain't No Direction). They aren’t concerned with trying to fit into the purists’ definition of the blues, as they are quite happy to break into folk arrangements (In the Leaves), throw in surprising instrumentation (the country jam session feel of By and By) or an extended instrumental jam (the horns on the chaotic The Rolling Tide).

There are a few missteps on the record, which is to be expected when you are cutting your teeth in such a tried and true style of music, but I would imagine a lot of the songs (like most that sample from the same influences) come to life under the lights when the adrenaline starts pumping. Gasoline Handshake is one of those classic metal/blues riffs that gets a crowd excited , so for any of our Vancouver readers still looking for a New Year’s party and hoping to be drenched in sweat, whiskey and and say "it's all happening"... you might want to head over to the Amberjack Tap House tonight and catch their NY set.

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With a name like Slow Down, Molasses (which, for the record is awesome), you expect the Saskatoon band to be heavy on lap steel, heartache and alt-country twang. You expect the songs to drip with emotion as creaks and pain filled sighs nestle into the empty spaces left by subtle banjo and mandolins. You expect the folk songs to be influenced by Neil Young. You expect to hear vocals hushed to the point you have to strain to hear them and most importantly, you expect the listen to be heavy and morose.

What you don’t expect is to be caught in the middle of a tug of war between melodic indie anthems, atmospheric haze, sludge rock and more intimate folk and you certainly don't expect to find inspiration. Originally the solo vision of Tyson McShane, Slow Down, Molasses (the band and the songs) has blossomed into a large collective of local musicians with a knack for adding the right element at the right time. It might be as simple as a barely audible, echoing vocal line to start the folky And You With It, Spek of Dust! or the rim shot percussion and simple whistle that grabs you on the beautiful Leaves & Lay or as complex as the surging energy of the strings and thumping percussion on the epic title track, but it’s obvious the band took the time required to get the songs exactly as they wanted.

Although that might make you question the spontaneity of I'm an Old Believer (for the record, when the band jumps into sludgy rockers like Fucked Up the energy still crackles), it’s that patience that makes an album full of diverse instrumentation and styles surprisingly cohesive. The record moves nicely between stripped down folk and atmospheric collages of dream like fuzz (just check out the outro to Sweet Dreams) and exposes the listener to bold transitions and countless rewards.

Integrating 15 musicians onto a twelve song record isn’t easy; especially when the songs originate from a single entity, but the band understands Tyson’s songs and plays off his lead well. While his vocals expose fragility and often appear ready to crack and break, the band uses his voice well – letting the imperfections surface when the emotion peaks and tucking it amongst the arrangements when the melodies take center stage - and resists the urge to overwhelm the listener by simply piling on layer after layer.

I'm an Old Believer is unique, adventurous and incredibly enjoyable. Somehow - like the emerging scene from which they come - the collective manages to smash down your preconceptions but satisfy your expectations with a blend of surprising warmth and cold isolation. Hyperbole aside, and knowing my tastes don't often line up with the norm, this record is a must have.

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A review of the debut EP from Sports: The Band is long overdue. I got my hands on the MP3s almost three months ago, quickly fell in love with the bizarre mix of styles and then had to sit on it (as the band didn’t really want the songs floating around the NET before they knew what they wanted to do with them)... for what seems like forever. Well, finally the time has come and the band decided to offer up the EP on Zunior.

Basically, the songs are as diverse as you’d expect from a band made up of members of The Meligrove Band, By Divine Right and Polmo Polpo. The band refuses stay in the pocket as lead songwriter Nathan Rekker is comfortable and confident enough to absorb the diverse influences each band member brings to the table. They jump effortlessly from surging, swirling synths (Cast Lots) to weightless AM pop (the appropriately titled Fleetwood that features Robin Hatch on backing vocals), lap pop (again, the perfectly named Syntax Error) and even touching on more gloomy, Brit inspired sounds (Warn Me) to give the listen some surprising depth.

This five song EP would have easily made the Best-of 2008 EP list I recently put up, but thankfully it's finally seeing the light of day and as enjoyable as the songs are, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how intrinsic the production - courtesy of Peter Chapman - is to the success of the sound. His deft touch allows the band to experiment with sonic tones textures and combine all of the influences and ideas into crisp packages without restricting the creativity of the band.

As a result, the band is free to sample from the best elements of bygone eras and revamp them them with a modern twist. Whether it's Flaming Lips psychedelics, Nicks/Buckingham harmonies or the crunch of indie rock when it still meant something, Sports: The Band (there are like three other Sports bands, so I think they need to include the semicolon and qualifier) seems to hit on all the right notes and I don't think you will find a better $4.44 worth of music out there right now.

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For some reason, I'm still focused on trying to get through the quality releases we missed this year. I know most of the blog world is already done with '08 and salivating over the leak of the new Animal Collective, but for some reason we aren't ready to throw '08 out with the bathwater.

Obviously, when you have a two man shop (and both have full time jobs), that list is going to be pretty long and the large scale oversights become obvious, but we are more concerned with the DIY styled releases we failed to unearth. If we were worth our salt, we really would have talked about Sackville, New Brunswick resident Corey Isenor before now.

Corey’s new full length – Young Squire – is a terrific combination of classic sounding folk music with bursts of indie rock and folk-tronica. He uses subtle bleeps and blips and instrumentation to add a pulse underneath his acoustic (Go Tie Your Shoes), but they never dominate the chords he plays or stories he tells. He’s a charismatic performer and as tracks like Carolina show, he could command a bar room full of drunken discussions with a few simple picked notes, a banjo, mandolin or a harmonica solo.

Even though Isenor isn't a household name, for any fan that takes the time to listen the rewards are there. The warmth that emits from When You Fall (a song that replaces the thumping percussion and female backing vocals we all love from the RAA, with a harmonica and transient attitude), is surprising. He's able to throw in a playful, Old Man Luedecke style banjo line to complete In Your Arms Tonight and Oh No! and you quickly understand that even with his singer/songwriter style Corey's more than just a guy and his guitar.

And that's probably why some of the most enjoyable songs on Young Squire show Isenor using bigger and bolder sounds. Why Do You Believe in Love? is bulked up by a mandolin and kick drum and the attack and retreat style the band uses helps the 6-minute epic fly by in the blink of an eye. Chores in the Summertime is reminiscent of the melodic, nasally indie tracks we grew up on and the echoing oohs that float on the chorus of the straight-ahead folk rocker Are You Ready? offers another wrinkle for the listener.

For a debut full length, Isenor is able to give a listener a collection of songs that fits almost any mood. He offers a few sing-a-longs to keep the bar dancing but is just as comfortable writing a song that speaks to the down and out. He's another unsigned artist that is making terrific music for small crowds. Basically, Corey Isenor is the type of act bloggers should be on the hunt for and trying to support.

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It's amazing to think a twelve member band still in its formative days can deliver an EP that intrigues and completely satisfies the listener. Unlike so many new bands, Regina's Library Voices has a amazing understanding of what makes a band unique, but avoids any of the pretension that could have easily dominated their debut EP, Hunting Ghosts & Other Collected Shorts.

On first glance, you might be skeptical of Library Voices. I mean, a band that literally recorded the first 6 songs they wrote and includes almost twice as many members as penned compositions, isn't one that you'd expect to be accessible. Throw in the fact they obviously have shelves teaming with classic novels and use clever titles like Kundera On The Dance Floor and Love in the Age of Absurdity and you start to wonder if this Regina outfit is going to be an art rock project that was meant as a way to subtly poke fun at you instead of include you.

But then you listen to their songs and any concerns disappear as you dance around the room and smile uncontrollably. They don't hide their literary obsessions - mentions of Kafka, Kundera and Vonnegut are scattered throughout their songs - but instead of coming off like over read baristas that look down their noses at you, the references fit perfectly into the bookworm persona they exude. They don't drop titles (Unbearable Lightness of Being) to impress, but more because reading and living through the words of gifted authors is more familiar than being the coolest kid in the room.

There is an instantaneous nature to the recording and that's because the melodies are impossible to ignore. Step Off The Map & Float start with swirling synths and drums, but the guitar and shouted count down jump start the affair is what hooks you. Over the next 3+ minutes, the harmonies and Canasta-esque collage of sounds, plain and simply, makes you move. They find another infectious groove on the melodica/acoustic driven The Lonely Projectionist but honestly, on none of the six songs do you hear the band stumble.

No matter who takes the lead or what tone they set - Hunting Ghosts shows the band can drift into a female led, slower tune without lowering the quality - the band always seems to find the perfect combination of voices, instruments or time signature to keep you listening. The slink of Kundera On The Dance Floor matches the promiscuity of the bar room adventures and although the infectious hook drive the song - it must be mentioned that Mike Dawson's pen is obviously gifted.

Without forcing a literary comparison, it's fitting that he loves the work of Milan Kundera. The Czech writer puts his words together beautifully and always seems to find the perfect way to enhance emotions and scenarios (and you can safely say that the melodies the band use accomplish the same thing), but the thing I really love about Kundera is that even with all his political leanings he often quoted music to make his observations about society.

Dawson, on the other hand, uses literary quotes and references to describe the events that unfold in his songs. As he perfectly describes bar going, young adults and the struggle to impress members of the opposite sex while trying to fight off the affects of the drink, he touches on the insecurities with subtle details like a person wearing a Tom Waits t-shirt to help define themselves or a young girl quoting Kafka in a drunken discussion.

At the end of the day, even with all the great things about this EP, the most amazing thing about this band is that they don't show any sign of slowing down. Since September they've recorded a terrific EP, grown in size and are already putting the finishing touches on a brand new full length. They've got attention from major publications all across Canada and a shout out in Spin magazine. One would guess it's only a matter of time until Library Voices aren't talked about in a casual whispers, but rather screamed for all to hear.

Well now, it's Christmas Eve, I find myself with a spare few minutes, so I thought I'd leave you fine folks with a couple musical treats before signing off for the year. The first is a version of Baby It's Cold Outside done by two of the Hill's favorite Halifax (by way of PEI) singer-songwriters, Jenn Grant and Daniel Ledwell. It's from Grant's performance during last year's In The Dead of Winter Festival, and it's really rather fun (coincidently, you can find the schedule for IDOW 09 right here if you're interested). Why not continue the fun with a Jenn Grant rendition of Silver Bells? Exactly I thought you'd agree.

It isn't Christmas here on the hill until someone posts some Boney M, so let me take care of that right now, with their awesome Afro-German disco stylings in the form of their dual threat Marys Boychild & Oh My Lord. Man, I love this. But then again, I have a tremendous affection for Boney M Christmas songs, and if your parents also had Boney M vinyl when you were growing up, you likely do too.

I'm starting a new tradition here on the hill by posting as Christmas selection from our favorite duo and yours: Daryl Hall & John Oates. Their version of Jingle Bell Rock is holiday magic at its most magical, surely you agree. So enjoy these songs, have yourself a happy Christmas, a great new year, and I'll catch you on the hill in '09.

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Huzzah for The Great Outdoors. When 2008 started, they announced a plan to release an EP for each season - not to be confused with the Grease classic A Girl For All Seasons - and flash forward a year, and they have released four quality EPs that mirror the seasons nicely. While that might not seem like a huge deal to the common fan, for a DIY collective to find the time, money and inspiration to constantly work on these songs is pretty impressive.

The band is slowly releasing the tracks from the final installment - Winter - and although I've only heard two of the five tracks, it doesn't make much difference. The point of the project was for the band to deliver on a goal and improve as a band and even if you ignored the quality and consistency of the 4 EPs (which would be foolish, as each is could stand on its own), judging the project on those two factors alone would equal a success.

The Great Outdoors has blossomed over these last 12 months, adding new textures, voices, styles and members. Always a collective, Food, Booze and Entertainment was more a singular vision with tons of support. Now, every release is full of surprises and Adam is as happy playing in the supporting role as he is being the star.

I'll leave you with the fantastic track, The Garbage Man Song. The slinky piano and distorted tones match well with Adam's voice, but it's when the gruff sounds of blues man Nickle City Slim kick in that you want to raise your glass to the band. A year ago, I'm not sure the band could have delivered such a complete song. The terrific baritone harmonies and subtle ebbs and flows show the band's progression and the track perfectly sums up the love/hate affair we all have with the harshest, but often most beautiful season.

Have a terrific (snow-filled) holiday everyone.

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Today I’m running at half speed. A late night with some old friends, too many beers and being one of the only people on my team still working isn’t the best recipe for blogging (or being productive at my real job), but I was absolutely thrilled to find out Montreal’s Boo Hoo is giving away a few new songs from their upcoming record – one that is destined to explode on the blogosphere.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Montreal trio, they are basically everything I’m not this morning: energetic, full of promise and grit, and most importantly, fun. The rough edges give the songs that purity we all crave (although, the reverb and pace of Don't Die is a nice change up for the band).

Boo Hoo plays straight up indie rock that reminds you of a time when indie rock wasn’t (at best) a generic descriptor or (at worst) a slap in the face to your sound. Guitar. Drums. Bass. They don’t need anything else to make you move and this morning, I can't think of anything I'd rather have pounding out of my speakers.